Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
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Multicenter Study
Transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas in pediatric patients: a multicentric retrospective study.
Pediatric pituitary adenomas are rare lesions. Incidence is reported between 1 and 10% of all childhood brain tumors and between 3 and 6% of all surgically treated adenomas. Although pituitary adenomas present with symptoms of hormone hypersecretion or neurological disruptions secondary to mass effect, they are almost constantly benign. Characteristics of patients may vary in different studies according to age, gender, size of adenoma, hormonal activity, and recurrence rates. ⋯ Transsphenoidal approach affords effective release of mass effect and not only restoration but also perpetuation of normal endocrine functions in the majority of pediatric pituitary adenoma patients. Satisfactory results are reported with both EETS and TMS in the literature. Despite the technical difficulties in pediatric age, transsphenoidal resection of adenoma is still the mainstay treatment that provides cure in pediatric patients.
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This paper reviews the altered cerebrospinal fluid dynamics that can be associated with paediatric Chiari I malformation and we present our own institutional experience. ⋯ In paediatric ACM, the management of intracranial hypotension involves thorough radiological assessment and inclusion/adjustment of a valve in the case of lumboperitoneal shunting or epidural blood patch or interventional techniques in the case of spontaneous CSF leak. Thereby, unwarranted posterior fossa decompression surgery is avoided. In the case of IIH and Chiari I malformation, children who have recurrent symptoms despite adequate posterior fossa decompression surgery (failed Chiari), there is a strong role for intracranial pressure monitoring as raised intracranial pressure may indicate long-term CSF diversion.
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GAPO (growth retardation, alopecia, pseudoanodontia, and optic atrophy) as a rare genetic disorder includes growth retardation, alopecia, pseudoanodontia, and optic atrophy. It was reported to be associated with craniosynostosis and intracranial hypertension. ⋯ Abnormal intraoperative findings including sever pericranium and dural adhesions and extraordinary bleeding related to this syndrome are described.
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Review Case Reports
Greenstick fracture-hinge decompressive craniotomy in infants: illustrative case and literature review of techniques for decompressive craniotomy without bone removal.
We present the potential usefulness of a greenstick fracture-hinge decompressive craniotomy, a variant of a hinge-craniotomy, as an alternative technique for use with a decompressive craniectomy (DC) in infants. A literature review of hinge-craniotomy procedures and technical variants is also provided, with a focus on complications associated with a DC peculiar to infants and children. ⋯ A DC procedure performed in children, especially infants, includes a significantly high risk of various complications; thus, a hinge-craniotomy technique is worthwhile for consideration to avoid such complications. Additional studies are required to clarify whether this technique may contribute to reduce complications related to a DC in infants and children.
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Case Reports
Craniocerebral disproportion after decompressive craniectomy in infants: The hidden enemy of cranial repair?
Cranioplasty aims at restoring the physiological integrity and volume of the skull. Any disproportion between the intracranial content and the volume of the container may favor the occurrence of complications. A classification of volume mismatches is proposed. A negative mismatch, consisting of intracranial content minor to skull volume, is well represented by the sinking flap. On the other side, a positive mismatch, consisting of intracranial content higher than skull volume, usually depends on CSF collection or hydrocephalus once the brain edema is regressed. Though, in children, this condition may result from physiological brain growth after decompressive craniectomy. Treatment algorithm based on this classification is presented. ⋯ This illustrative case highlights the possible occurrence of a positive structural mismatch between the skull and the intracranial content after decompressive craniectomy, thus configuring a condition of acquired craniocerebral disproportion, aside of other brain or CSF complications. We firstly recognize this condition in the literature and propose it as a possible factor affecting the outcome of cranioplasty in infants and young children.